Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered.

Mini Review

This is the fourth book in the series and for the first time the romance is between a changeling male cat and a human female.

I loved the crime/thriller aspect, but not so much the romance. It is a very intense romance sinse the characters have a painful back story and knew each other since they were kids. It's a kind of second chance love story. Clay and Tallin need to overcome a lot of guilt and resentment and distrust coming from their past and what they have done to each other.

I was not a big fan of Tallin at the beginning, I could accept her choices initially, but just like Clay I needed time to warm up to her (for him it was more of re-open his heart) but she was perfect for him and that's made like her more towards the end. I liked how loyal and dedicated she was to her children, she loved them with a fierceness similar to that of the changelings to their cubs.

Ms Singh creates some of the most fun and adorable children I've read in romance, and here Jon and Noor were no exception, though he is a bit older, a juvenile and there is an element of seriousness beyond his years to him, still he was a great kid.

As usual in this series, the main characters were complex, dealing with many issues. They both deal with a terrible violence in their childhood, how it changed them, marking them, making them who they are now, Clay's struggle to keep his humanity and Tallin's efforts to accept his violent side were presented in a captivating way.

Ms Singh continues the elaborate world building in this series, we see more of the Human race and a whole new player was introduced, the Forgotten - descendants of a mixed race between psy and humans.

I thoroughly enjoy this series and I appreciate the talent of Ms Singh to create a unique story for each couple. There are similarities, of course, yet every couple stands of its own. Even though Clay and Talin didn't turn out to be one of my favourites, still their story has its merits and contributes to the overall plot of the series.

Anne Winters. Self-made billionaire. Household name. Divorced single mom. Convicted felon. She didn’t let anyone or anything get to her. No one was allowed to breach the walls around her heart except for her own son. She had only one trusted friend: her vacation house neighbor. They’d been walking the beach together for twenty years. Not that this gave him access to her heart, of course…

They called him a man who got what he wanted.

Mack Corey. Self-made billionaire. Dominant world player. Widowed father of the bride. No felony convictions yet, although his daughters had come close. He’d transformed his family company into one of the top 500 by the age of thirty. He’d raised two daughters who dumped him for idiot arrogant French chocolatiers and went off to live in Paris. Hell, he even managed to tolerate his dad. But that Ice Queen act Anne Winters had going was really starting to get to him…

They’d been friends for twenty years. Could they become lovers?

Could a frozen heart be kissed by the sun?

Review

This is the second book in Snow Queen series but can be read as standalone. It tells the story of love at an older age which is not a very common topic in romance novels I have to say. I haven't read anything similar before and while overall, I did enjoy it, I didn't love it as much as the other works of Ms Florand I've read.

The main characters here are Anne Winters, Kurt's mother from Snow-Kissed and Mack Corey, the father of the Corey sisters from the Amour et Chocolate series. What I like most in this story is that get to see all the couples from the previous books coming together of Dom and Jaime'wedding and they are all very happy and very much in love.

Part of Anne and Mack's story is told in overheard conversations between the other couples. I didn't particularly like this device - eavesdropping to learn more about a character to an event, but still it added a nice outside perspective on the hero and the heroine (it was mostly her overhearing things). Ms Florand drew interesting parallel lines between the love stories of the younger couples and the coming together of Anne and Mack.

There was a lot of love and joy in this story, mixed with some melancholy and regret. Both Anne and Mack suffered to some extend the empty nest syndrome. It was a newer and unpleasant feeling for him in particular. His daughters were moving away to Paris with their husbands and suddenly the only person he felt connected to, apart from his father, and who remained physically close to him was Anne. And then he knew he would do anything to keep her, even risk their 20-year old friendship. Like most of Ms Florand's other heroes, Mac had to win Anne, he had to conquer her, to break her carefully built walls and practically steal her heart.

This story of conquest and surrender, of giving in and opening up to love was told in the sensually rich and exquisite writing style of Ms Florand. She carefully mixed together fairytale elements and characters such as
Prince Charming, the Snow Queen, princesses and towers with the everyday mundane reality of life - building multimillion dollar empires, buying houses all over the world and turning them into homes, going to prison.

It's my first time reading romance featuring older characters and I couldn't really connect with them. What bothered me the most was that they had been friends for 20 years and despite having more than friendly feelings for each other, it took them so long to be together. For two ambitious, competitive and very successful people it seemed strange to be so hesitant to act on their feelings.

Still, it's a beautiful love story exquisitely presented. I'd recommend it to all fans of Ms Florand and to all lovers of romance in general.

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

*** *** ***

Why am I waiting for this? - Well, I'm not the biggest reader of fantasy out there but I do enjoy a good fantasy tale from time to time. Half a King has already received high praise by George R. R. Martin whose A Song of Fire and Ice series is one of my favourite, so now I'm pretty excited about Joe Abercrombie's upcoming book.

What book are you looking forward this Wednesday? Leave me a comment and I'll stop by your blog to check it out.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

I continued with Molly O'Keefe's Boys of Bishop series this week. I'm reading it out of order, so my teaser today is from Never Been Kissed (Book #2) which is to be released on July 1. I just finished it and it's another good small-town romance with interesting characters. I definitely like the writing and I'll be reading more of Ms O'Keefe's books in the future.

Here is the teaser:

Mama used to say only fools believed in luck or the generosity of the universe. Hard work and courage were the only way to turn possibility into reality.

As the daughter of a wealthy politician, Ashley Montgomery has had enough of her parents’ expectations for her future and is going her own way, volunteering to work at a refugee camp in Africa. But her act of charity turns dangerous when she takes a boat trip and is abducted by Somali pirates. Enter Brody Baxter, who was a bodyguard for the Montgomery family ten years ago and doesn’t think twice about coming to Ashley’s rescue. Handsome and tough, Brody has always done what needed to be done. So he swoops in, saves Ashley, and brings her to a place where she can rest and recuperate without the glare of the press and her demanding family: Brody’s small hometown of Bishop, Arkansas. But Ashley soon realizes that she’s not the only one in need of healing.

Holed up with Ashley in a tiny apartment over his brother’s bar in Bishop, Brody is tempted and torn in ways he never anticipated. Beautiful Ashley, vibrant despite her ordeal, fearless enough to love him beyond his wall of self-punishment, is now determined to save him. But with a little faith and a lot of love, they just may find happiness in each others’ arms.

Florand takes us to a snow-kissed Christmas cabin for this heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, forgiveness—and hope. After the utter destruction of her marriage and her happiness, Kai knew it was better to shut herself away from the world than to hurt and be hurt. Holed up in her mountain cabin, she planned to spend her Christmas alone. Until her not-quite-ex-husband shows up as the first flakes start to fall. Now should she send him back out into the cold? Or can she be brave enough to let this winter snow bind them back together?

Review

This is a novella that can be read as a standalone or as the first book of the Snow Queen series. I'm currently reading book 2, Sun-kissed which released on May 11.

I knew from the blurb that it would be about a marriage in trouble and I love this trope in romance but I haven't read many books dealing with it so far. What I didn't know was the cause of the marriage troubles. It touched me on a very personal level and the story as whole affected me deeply.

The story is told in the careful, sensual style of writing of Ms Florand that we know from her other works. What sets this story apart is the profound sadness and pain. Kai's (the heroine) sense of guilt, her inability to deal with the tragedy which struck her marriage was overwhelming.

It a story of two people who love each other very much and who are trying to find the way back to each other after experiencing the worst kind of pain and loss. They are lost in a world of snow and work slowly to rediscover the possibility for Christmas joy and most importantly, hope for the future. Kai and Kurt reconnect first physically presented in exquisitely sensual and intense love scenes. Their true coming together involved some painful confessions and ultimately forgiveness. Kai and Kurt rediscover their love, why and how they love each other.

Despite the short format of the book, we see real growth and development of the characters - the time apart has changed them both and this change makes it possible for them to be together again. Things cannot go back to the way they were before, their loss is irreversible but they can try to find something new and good for them both.

I fell so in love with the characters that I didn't really want their story to end. Since Ms Florand doesn't give us a definite HEA or an epilogue, I wrote one for myself in my head and it's beautiful and magical, just what Kai and Kurt deserve.

I had a minor issue with the names, not liking either Kai or Kurt but when the review in Dear Author brought to may attention the connection with the Snow Queen fairytale and Kai, the boy with the piece of glass in his eye and in his heart making him unable to love, it all made sense. I can't believe I missed the connection and I've been listening to the Bulgarian audio of the fairytale these days with my daughter, I'm truly absent-minded these days. This adds yet another dimension to a story which is already complex and multi-layered.

This is one of my favourite books of Ms Florand and one of the best I've read this year. I can recommend it to everyone but beware it will break your heart before putting it back together.

Fiery French chef Élise Philippe is having a seriously bad day. Not only have the opening day plans for her beloved café fallen apart, but Sean O'Neil is back in town, and looking more delectable than ever. Last summer, they shared an electrifying night together…and the memories have Élise really struggling to stick to her one-night-only rule! Her head knows that eventually Sean will be leaving, so all she can do is try to ignore her heart before she spontaneously combusts with lust.

Being back in Vermont—even temporarily—is surgeon Sean O'Neil's worst nightmare. For Sean, returning home to the Snow Crystal Resort means being forced to confront the reasons and the guilt he feels about rejecting his family's rural lifestyle years ago. But discovering that Élise has settled in Vermont and still sets his blood racing is a very welcome distraction! Thinking he can persuade her into a replay of last summer is tempting, but remembering how good they are together is going to make walking away more difficult than he could imagine…

Review

This is the second book in the O'Neil brothers series. I loved the first one, Sleigh Bells in the Snow, (my review) which for me was the perfect Christmas read, and had high expectations about this one as well. Overall it was a nice enough romantic story which I enjoyed but it lacked the magic of Kayla and Jackson's romance in book 1.

We saw very little of Elise and Sean (more of her than him) in the previous book so this really introduced them to the reader. She is a top chef from Paris who was working for Jackson and came with him when he returned to Snow Crystal. There she fell in love the place and with the O'Neil family.

Sean, Jackson's twin, is a successful orthopedic surgeon in Boston who doesn't like going back home and although he loves his family deeply, their expectations of him feel like a burden. He is strong, focused on his work, determined no to make compromises and to live his life the way he wants.

On the surface, they don't have much in common except irresistible sexual chemistry and a no-relationship policy. Gradually, though, they both realize that things between them are more than a casual, no-strings-attached affair.

As can be expected, there is some drama in Elise's past and the O'Neil family interferes with Sean's life all the time, all this leading to a very HEA end.

My main complaint is that I didn't really feel the love between the characters. They had great sexual chemistry and some good times together but their views about life and love were so different. For most part of the story neither seemed willing to change things between them. She was determined to keep their affair casual and the idea that it might be love didn't even enter his mind.

Elise loved deeply the whole O'Neil family and I felt she cared more about them than about Sean. Her focus was too much on the other members of the family and she didn't really allow Sean into her world. She was intense, passionate, always giving her whole heart to everything she did which pretty much made their casual arrangement doomed from the start.

Sean loved spending time with her, but for the most part of the story he had no intention of changing his way of life for her. His realization that he actually loved her came a bit out of the blue.

It's a nice romantic story, perfect for the beach. Tough it wasn't as good as book 1 for me, I'm glad I read it. Now all I have to do it wait for Christmas when Maybe This Christmas (Tyler's book) will be released.

There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan: 1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris, 2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he wants, and 3) He doesn’t know how to knit.

After just five months of dating Janie, Quinn—former Wendell and unapologetic autocrat—is ready to propose marriage. In fact, he’s more than ready. If it were up to Quinn, he would efficiently propose, marry, and beget Janie with child all in the same day—thereby avoiding the drama and angst that accompanies the four stages of pre-matrimony: engagement, meeting the parents, bachelor/bachelorette party, and overblown, superfluous wedding day traditions. But Janie, much to Quinn’s dismay, tosses a wrench in his efficacious endeavors and challenges him to prove his devotion by going through the matrimonial motions, no matter how minute and mundane.

Will Quinn last until the wedding day? Or will he yield to his tyrant impulses?

Regardless, one thing is for certain, Quinn Sullivan will have to learn to expect the Spanish Inquisition (i.e. the unexpected) if he plans to have and keep Janie Morris as his wife.

Why am I waiting for this book? - I'm a big fan of Ms Reid's books and I'm excited about this one since it continues the story of the couple from book 1, Neanderthal Seeks Human (the quirky and adorable Janie and mysteriously sexy Quinn aka Sir McHotpants). Initially, I thought it would be just a novella about their upcoming wedding, but more than happy to learn that it would be a full-length novel bringing together both the funny and serous aspects of wedding preparations of two people planning to spend their lives together.

You can read my reviews of the other books in The Knitting in the City series:

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

My teaser this week comes from Between the Sheets by Molly O'Keefe. It's book 3 in her small-town romance series, Boys of Bishop. I haven't read the other but I'm enjoying this one very much. It's a story about a single father, a bit of a biker and the local elementary school art teacher. So far (I'm at 50%), things are both sexy and serious and the kid is just amazing.

Here is the teaser:

Why did so many great things - the best things - disguise themselves at first, he wondered. Or why as he always so blind to their goodness?

After years of running, Wyatt Svenson has now parked himself in Bishop, Arkansas, trying to do the right thing and parent a son he didn’t even know he had until recently. Over six feet tall and packed with muscles and power, Ty likes to get his hands dirty, fixing his motorcycle at night and keeping his mind away from the mistakes he’s made. Then his pretty neighbor shows up on his driveway, doesn’t bother to introduce herself, and complains about the noise. First impression? She should loosen up. Funny that she turns out to be his son’s elementary school art teacher—and the only one willing to help his troubled boy. Ty needs her. In more ways than one.

Though Shelby Monroe is safe in her structured life, she is drawn to Ty’s bad-boy edge and rugged sexuality. What if she just lets it all go: her worries about her mother, her fear of heartbreak, and her tight self control? What if she grabs Ty and takes a ride on the wild side? “What if” becomes reality—intense, exhilarating . . . and addictive. But Ty wants more than a secret affair. He wants it all with Shelby. But will she take a chance and open her heart? Ty is determined to convince Shelby to take the biggest risk of her life: on him.

College baseball player, Gray Thomas, had to go far out into left field to find a girl like Dylan, the ex-love-of-his-life. More than a year later, literally at a crossroads, they find each other together on a journey that is a pause between a painful past and an uncertain future. In this sexy and offbeat summer read, Gray and Dylan discover that a destination isn't always a place. More often, it's a person. Now it's time for them to finally decide, is this forever?

Review

This is the perfect completion of an incredible NA romance series. It's not your typical love story. It's a crazy beautiful journey of two unique people towards one another in search of who they are and what their place in the world is.

This book can be read as a standalone, but I strongly recommend to read books 1 and 2 in order to get the full story of Gray and Dylon. You wouldn't want to miss any of the twists and turns, heartbreak and joy of their romance.

Finally, Forever starts 15 months after the events in the end of book 2 (where Dylan and Gray broke up both thinking it's best for the other person to be free to follow his/her dreams). Now they meet by chance and discover than neither of them has moved on - you can't really put your soulmate, the true love of your life behind that easily, or at all.

Gray and Dylan end on a sort of road trip and after some initial misunderstandings and some crazy adventures, neither of them can deny the strong feelings for the other.

For me this is a story about choices, about discovering what matters in life and going after it, about making compromises and learning to give. I love the theme of journey as a metaphor for the growth and development of the characters.

I've loved both Dylan with her craziness, her optimism, her propensity to give love and Gray with his darkness, his calm and introvert behaviour from the start. They are complete opposites but they complement each other perfectly. They each give the other what is needed to make him/her a better person.

There is a lot of angst and pain in this story, but also a lot of love and hope.

At first, I didn't like the ending very much. It was like fate brought them together and neither of them made an effort to make it happen. When I thought more about it, though, I realized that it was because they made the conscious decision to try to make things work out between them, that fate helped them by bringing them together in the same city for the first time. It was the right time for both of them and they had learned what they needed to learn in order to be together finally forever.

In conclusion, the whole Love Comes First series stand out among the rest of the New Adult romances out there with great writing and amazing and truly unique characters. Dylan and Gray are witty and funny and their sometimes clever, more often ridiculously random observations on life, love, family, friendships make this series a real pleasure to read.

With their lives and the fate of an empire at stake, Ariq is forced to leave Zenobia behind. Held captive by their enemies, Zenobia can only pray that Ariq keeps his promise to come for her—until a terrible loss prods her to action.

Ariq has no intention of handing over the Skybreaker to the two men responsible for the marauders’ attacks against Krakentown—but without a ransom to give them, Ariq must risk everything to rescue Zenobia and stop the swarming forces bent on destruction…

Title: The Kraken King Part VI: The Kraken King and the Crumbling WallsAuthor: Meljean BrookDate of publication: 20 May 2014Genre/themes: Romance, Steampunk, Adventure

Reunited, Ariq and Zenobia must journey over the red wall and make a desperate appeal to the one woman with enough power to halt the marauders’ plans—the Empress of Nippon.

But even the Kraken King cannot demand the attentions of an empress. Masked and quarantined, Ariq and Zenobia are forced to bide their time. Despite the fact that they are as physically close as two people can be, Zenobia is trying to keep the man she can’t help but love at a distance, terrified she’ll be hurt again. And all the while, the mysteries of the Living City grow around them…

Review

The story keeps its intensity and fast pace in these two installments. Ms Brook adds some more political intrigues to the already complex plot and we finally see Ariq and Zenobia come together as a couple.

Apart for the adventures (Part V is quite action-packed), we also learn more about the inner world of the characters. Zenobia shows some of her fears and Ariq is rather explicit in expressing his desires.

I really like how Ms Brook mixes a true adventure story with a larger-than-life romance in this serial. There are many plot twists and turns which keep me turning the pages feverishly.

In theses two installments Ariq and Zenobia meet unexpected allies and new enemies. We see a new side Helene, Zenobia's friend, which was a pleasant surprise.

The whole serial so far shapes as a gripping tale of love and honour, deceit and valour, a story of moral choices. At the same time it has this other, personal layer where we see a moving tale of one woman's and one man' fears and dreams, desires and duties.

I liked Part V most of all. It blended nicely the adventure and the love story. Part VI was more focused on Ariq and Zenobia as a couple and it lacked some of the action of the previous parts.

I'm really excited about the final two episodes. There are a lot of plotlines that need to be completed and only one thing is certain - it will be an exciting ride.

After a harrowing escape, Zenobia, Ariq, and their company take refuge in a gold rush town—but their temporary port is just a respite before traveling to the dangerous smugglers’ dens. Ariq is determined to uncover the men responsible for the threat to Krakentown, even if it means confronting the notorious den lords.

But when he discovers evidence in Zenobia’s letters connecting her to the Horde rebellion, he realizes that the threat is far greater than he had suspected. His loyalties torn, Ariq must distance himself from the fascinating woman he desperately wants to hold closer.

Stunned and hurt by Ariq’s inexplicable coldness, Zenobia prepares to leave the dens and continue her journey to the Red City. But in the smugglers’ dens, danger lurks around every corner, and all of her protection is gone…

Title: The Kraken King Part IV: The Kraken King and the Inevitable Abduction
Author: Meljean Brook
Date of publication: 6 May 2014
Genre/themes: Romance, Steampunk, Adventure

The Kraken King has declared that Zenobia Fox is under his protection—and with her identity revealed, she needs that protection more than ever. But it comes with a price when Ariq demands that Zenobia reveal her secrets in return.

Ariq wants nothing more than for Zenobia to trust him, and he knows exactly which sensual tricks will breach her defenses. But although she urgently desires the powerful governor, Zenobia isn’t a woman who will be easily won with a few passionate kisses.

When his ambush goes awry, Ariq discovers just how deeply he can hurt her—but the real danger to Zenobia is one that he never expected…

Review

This story just gets better and better with each new episode.

In Part III we go deeper into the world Ariq and Zenobia live. The descriptions of the Smugglers' Den is striking vivid and shows us both the beauty and true horror of this new world.

We also learn more about Ariq and Zenobia mostly through their interactions with the other characters. And I can just say that Ariq is becoming impossible to resist not just for Zenobia but for me as well.

This part is full of action on the one hand and on the other there is a constant pull-push relationship between the main characters.

The romance is really slow here - there is some lack of communication and some doubts on both sides which get in the way of Ariq and Zenobia coming together. At the end, a violent situation with Zenobia, pushes both of them to act on their attraction and leads to a mind-blowing kiss kiss which makes things between them hotter than hot.

Part IV was the best so far for me. The time came for Ariq and Zenobia to share some of their secrets. Some striking revelations are made and just when they are finally coming together, a plot twist takes us into a whole new direction.

I already love both Ariq and Zenobia and here we see more of their background and learn of their past and the things which made them who they are now. His overwhelming lust for her is coupled with tenderness and deepest desire for to offer understanding and protection. She is overtaken with desire to surrender to him, yet she is afraid it might end badly for both of them.

This part has a bitter sweet cliffhanger ending - Ariq and Zenobia are togther (in a way) but they are facing unknown danger.

I'm trying a new boo meme this week. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Title: Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling #13)

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release date: 3 June 2014

Synopsis

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch—if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.

For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake…

Having rebuilt her life after medical “treatment” that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness…

I'm currently reading this series and I absolutely love them. I'm at book 8 and I still a few more to go before this latest installment in the series but I can't wait for Vasic's story!

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

My teaser this week comes for Snow-kissed (Snow Queen #1), a novella by Laura Florand. I'm a fan of this author and loved this book very much, probably the most of everything I've read by her. It's full of guilt and pain, yet there a lot of love and eventually a hope for the future is born, all this wrapped in a very beautiful and sensual writing style.

"... Tears dampened her eyes as she imagined him as daffodils - such a funny image for his athletically geeky carefulness and controlled masculinity - and yet it suited him somehow. Stubborn, persistent, determined to get through the snow."

Synopsis

Florand takes us to a snow-kissed Christmas cabin for this heart-wrenching tale of love, loss, forgiveness—and hope. After the utter destruction of her marriage and her happiness, Kai knew it was better to shut herself away from the world than to hurt and be hurt. Holed up in her mountain cabin, she planned to spend her Christmas alone. Until her not-quite-ex-husband shows up as the first flakes start to fall. Now should she send him back out into the cold? Or can she be brave enough to let this winter snow bind them back together?

He can protect her from everyone except himself.
Alana Gore is in danger. A take-no-prisoners publicist, her way with people has made her more than a few enemies over the years, but a creepy stalker is an entirely different matter. She needs a bodyguard, and the only man she can ask is not only ridiculously hot, but reputed to have taste for women that goes beyond adventurous.
Chandler Gamble has one rule: don't protect anyone you want to screw. But with Alana, he's caught between his job and his increasingly hard libido. On one hand, Alana needs his help. On the other, Chandler wants nothing more than to take the hot volcano of a woman in hand. To make her writhe in pleasure, until she's at his complete mercy.
She needs protection. He needs satisfaction. And the moment the line is crossed, all hell will break loose...

Author Bio and Links:

Jennifer L. Armentrout/J. Lynn Bio: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Author's Note: Can be read as book three of the First Comes Love series, or as a standalone .

College baseball player, Gray Thomas, had to go far out into left field to find a girl like Dylan, the ex-love-of-his-life. More than a year later, literally at a crossroads, they find each other together on a journey that is a pause between a painful past and an uncertain future. In this sexy and offbeat summer read, Gray and Dylan discover that a destination isn't always a place. More often, it's a person. Now it's time for them to finally decide, is this forever?

A former smuggler and thief, Ariq—better known as the Kraken King—doesn’t know what to make of the clever, mysterious woman he rescues from an airship besieged by marauders. Unsure if she’s a spy or a pawn in someone else’s game, Ariq isn’t about to let her out of his sight until he finds out…

After escaping her fourth kidnapping attempt in a year, Zenobia Fox has learned to vigilantly guard her identity. While her brother Archimedes is notorious for his exploits, Zenobia has had no adventures to call her own—besides the stories she writes. But when she jumps at the chance to escape to the wilds of Australia and acquire research for her next story, Zenobia quickly discovers that the voyage will be far more adventurous than any fiction she could put to paper…

*** *** ***

Title: The Kraken King Part II: The Kraken King and the Abominable Worm

As they continue their expedition across Australia, Ariq is determined to stay close to Zenobia and figure out what kind of game she’s playing—even as his admiration for the enigmatic woman starts to override his suspicion.

For Zenobia, revealing her identity to a man who once made his living outside of the law is out of the question—even though Ariq’s dashing looks and blunt manner are distractingly appealing.

But before anyone’s secrets or desires can be exposed, an unexpected attack threatens to destroy them all…

Review

This my first steampunk novel and I decided to try it as part of my personal challenge to read new genres/styles. As an experiment I have to say it is very successful so far.

I'm really enjoying both the story and the writing style. Ms Brook got me deeply involved in the story of Ariq and Zenobia and the world they live in. Her narrative is powerful without being overly descriptive and it presents both the world and the characters' emotions convincingly. Both Ariq and Zenobia have distinctive voices which engage the reader deeply in their story.

Part I introduces us to the hero and heroine and sets the background to the overall story. It also doesn't lack action and Ariq and Zenobia's meeting takes places under rather extreme circumstances. It took me some time to make sense this new and rather unusual world with its mechanical creatures and machines. Still, I'd say that all this is a very entertaining flight of the imagination.

Part II continues to build on everything in book 1 - the characters, the world, the action, the sexual attraction and the secrets.

I liked all the action and adventure in this serial so far and highly appreciate the curious mixture of futuristic elements such nanotechnology and Victorian atmosphere and morality Ms Brook creates.

Both Ariq and Zenobia are very interesting, complex characters. He is honest and direct to the point of being blunt. He is considered barbarian, yet he is led in all his actions by a strong moral code. In a world of spies, mercenaries and marauders, he stands out with his honesty.

Zenobia is a great adventure heroine. She is smart, with a dry sense of humour, and she is not easily intimidated.

There is a strong chemistry between Ariq and Zenobia, though they both guard tightly their secrets. Part I and II build up the sexual tension between them in the most exquisite way and I'm looking forward to the next installment for them to finally succumb to their passion.

In general, I'm not a fan of the serial form since I'm too impatient to wait for the next part. Still, I'm enjoying this serial so far with the slow build-up of the relationship between Ariq and Zenobia set against an action-packed plot full of intrigue and suspense.

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

Review

Easywas one of the first New Adult books I read and I really enjoyed it. I thought the book completed the story of Lucas and Jacqueline and I didn't expect a sequel or another boo about them. So, when I learned that there will be a companion novel to Easy told from Lucas' POV I was both excited and a little weary. The stories told from the other character's POV are very popular right now, but most of them are not successful since they often feel like you are reading the same book.

I'm very, very happy to tell you that this was not the case with Breakable and it is a worthy companion novel to Easy which complemented the original story in the perfect way.

The narrative is divided in two parts - Lucas'POV (present day) and Landon's POV (his teenage years after the tragedy in his life and before meeting Jaqueline). I loved the Landon parts best of all. They gave insight in young Landon and how the death of his mother and later the attitude of his father made him the man he was when he met Jacqueline.

His suffering, his troubles at school and his first love (or so he thought at the time) were very convincngly presented. I felt deeply for young Landon who had to deal with his guilt and pain on his own. His friend Boyce was a great supporting character and I enjoyed their relationship a lot. Still, I felt this plotline was left incomplete. I'm curious how things worked out for Boyce and I'd be happy for him to get a book of his own.

The part of Lucas were interesting and they dd show all the conflicting emotions he felt for Jacqueline since the first moment he saw. Yet they told things were already new and hence, they were less interesting. Lucas' fixation on Jacqueline seemed a bit stalkerish, especially at the beginning and his duplicity did bother me as much as they did in book 1. At the same time, Lucas was very gentle and considerate with her, he never pushed her into anything she wasn't ready for.

Unlike the relationship with Boyce, Lucas' friendship with Joseph seemed to lack depth and it didn't add anything to the story or to his character.

Another minor quibble I had was the lack of dialogue/communication between Lucas and Jacqueline. We've already read it in Easy and it was probably omitted to avoid repetition but this made the narrative seemed disjointed at times and it didn't flow as smooth as in book 1.

Overall, it's a great New Adult story, very emotional and intense with sensual, yet gentle love scenes. The book explores some heavy issues of violence against women, family issues, dealing with grief and guilt, and ends with a very optimistic happy-end. It's a must read for all fans of Easy and New Adult romances in general.

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

I continued with the next parts of The Kraken King by Meljean Brook - a steampunk serial of 8 parts. My teaser today is from Part III - The Kraken King and the Fox's Den and unlike like week's, this one is from Zenobia's perspective. I'm currently on part V and I'm still enjoying it very much.

She'd move closer; maybe he'd thought she would flirt.

Zenobia would have if she wan't terrible at it. Making her characters spout charming lines was easy, but similar words in her mouth always sounded false. So she had to make real conversation instead.

The Kraken King, Part III: The Kraken King and the Fox's Den

Synopsis

After a harrowing escape, Zenobia, Ariq, and their company take refuge in a gold rush town—but their temporary port is just a respite before traveling to the dangerous smugglers’ dens. Ariq is determined to uncover the men responsible for the threat to Krakentown, even if it means confronting the notorious den lords.

But when he discovers evidence in Zenobia’s letters connecting her to the Horde rebellion, he realizes that the threat is far greater than he had suspected. His loyalties torn, Ariq must distance himself from the fascinating woman he desperately wants to hold closer.

Stunned and hurt by Ariq’s inexplicable coldness, Zenobia prepares to leave the dens and continue her journey to the Red City. But in the smugglers’ dens, danger lurks around every corner, and all of her protection is gone…